Great Tax Quotes from American History

There are some great tax quotes from American history - some things never change, and America's battle over taxes has been around even longer than our union! Taxes... love 'em or hate 'em, everybody definitely has an opinion of them! Enjoy these serious and funny tax quotes, and help take the pain out of filling out that tax return form.

Taxes have been a sore spot with Americans from the founding of our country...

On December 16, 1773, Americans disguised themselves as Indians, and boarded ships from the East India Company that were docked in the Boston Harbor. They were protesting both a tax on tea (by the Townshend Acts) and what they perceived as a monopoly by the East India Company. They dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor in a form of protest. This event came to be known as the Boston Tea Party.

Some things never change... just like in the late 18th century, today some Americans feel that taxes are out of control, government is too big and intrusive, and that the people's voices are not being heard by our politicians. Tax quotes from history show that nothing much changes when it comes to taxes.

America's frustrations over taxes have resulted in many great tax quotes throughout our history...

"I place economy among the first and most important virtues,
and public debt as the greatest of dangers to be feared.

To preserve our independence, we must not let our
rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labor and in our amusements. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy." - Thomas Jefferson

These same feelings by some Americans today have resulted in a new "Tea Party" movement in America today, and you might see tax quotes from history on some of their protest signs. Much of the criticism from the Tea Party movement today has to do with the feeling of being over taxed, but it also seems to be coming from a feeling that government spending is out of control, and our national debt becoming too large.

"Excessive taxation will carry reason & reflection to every man's door, and particularly in the hour of election." - Thomas Jefferson

There are great tax quotes all throughout American history. Some of the best tax quotes come from the revolutionary era, from our founding fathers - Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Thomas Paine and others. Some of the popular 20th century tax quotes came from Ronald Reagan, Mark Twain and Will Rogers.

Founding Fathers Tax Quotes

"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." - Thomas Paine

"If, from the more wretched parts of the old world, we look at those which are in an advanced stage of improvement, we still find the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry, and grasping the spoil of the multitude. Invention is continually exercised, to furnish new pretenses for revenues and taxation. It watches prosperity as its prey and permits none to escape without tribute. " - Thomas Paine

Reminder

If you have any favorite tax quotes from American history, please use the form at the bottom of this page to submit them. If you have any good tax jokes, send them too!

"If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep." - Will Rogers

"For example. If the system be established on basis of Income, and his just proportion on that scale has been already drawn from every one, to step into the field of Consumption, and tax special articles in that, as broadcloth or homespun, wine or whiskey, a coach or a wagon, is doubly taxing the same article. For that portion of Income with which these articles are purchased, having already paid its tax as Income, to pay another tax on the thing it purchased, is paying twice for the same thing; it is an aggrievance on the citizens who use these articles in exoneration of those who do not, contrary to the most sacred of the duties of a government, to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens." - Thomas Jefferson

"Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." - Benjamin Franklin

Presidential Tax Quotes

"Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery." - Calvin Coolidge

"Taxes are paid in the sweat of every man who labors. " - Franklin D. Roosevelt

"The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." - Ronald Reagan

"Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

"I can make a firm pledge, under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes. " - Barack Obama

"The tax on capital gains directly affects investment decisions, the mobility and flow of risk capital... the ease or difficulty experienced by new ventures in obtaining capital, and thereby the strength and potential for growth in the economy." - John F. Kennedy

"The taxpayer - that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination." - Ronald Reagan

"Read my lips... No new Taxes" - George H.W. Bush

Funny Tax Quotes

"If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep." - Will Rogers

"The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has. Even when you make a tax form out on the level, you don't know when it's through if you are a crook or a martyr." - Will Rogers

"We have long had death and taxes as the two standards of inevitability. But there are those who believe that death is the preferable of the two. "At least," as one man said, "there's one advantage about death; it doesn't get worse every time Congress meets."" - Erwin N. Griswold

"I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money. " - Arthur Godfrey

"I shall never use profanity except in discussing house rent and taxes." - Mark Twain

"Taxation with representation ain't so hot either. " - Gerald Barzan

"You don't pay taxes - they take taxes." - Chris Rock

"We shall tax and tax, and spend and spend, and elect and elect." - Harry Hopkins

"The tax collector must love poor people, he's creating so many of them." - Bill Vaughan

"I just filled out my income tax forms. Who says you can't get killed by a blank?" - Milton Berle

"What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin." - Mark Twain

"U.S. Internal Revenue Service: an agency modeled after the revenue raising concepts of the 19th century economist, Jesse James." - Robert Brault

"The United States has a system of taxation by confession." - Hugo Black

"It's income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta." - Dave Barry

"Capital punishment: The income tax. " - Jeff Hayes

"Did you ever notice that when you put the words "The" and "IRS" together, it spells "THEIRS?" " - Author Unknown

"That's why so many stars are making pictures in Europe today. The tax guys are making thieves out of everybody." - Bud Abbott

Tax Quotes from Politicians

"n the middle of a recession no tax increase is justified because it kills jobs, and any tax increase is a job-killing measure and should be defeated." - Newt Gingrich

"No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama's plan will see one single penny of their tax raised, whether it's their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, any tax." - Joe Biden

"Many of you are well enough off that the tax cuts may have helped you. We're saying that for America to get back on track, we're probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton

"Where is the politician who has not promised to fight to the death for lower taxes- and who has not proceeded to vote for the very spending projects that make tax cuts impossible?" - Barry Goldwater

"I don't believe we need the government's help as much as some think we do. That belief sets me apart from the Democrats, since their way of dealing with everything is to tax and spend." - Jesse Ventura

"The income tax created more criminals than any other single act of government." - Barry Goldwater

"Death and taxes may be inevitable, but they shouldn't be related." - J.C. Watts, Jr.

"1913 wasn't a very good year. 1913 gave us the income tax, the 16th amendment and the IRS." - Ron Paul

"When the federal government spends more each year than it collects in tax revenues, it has three choices: It can raise taxes, print money, or borrow money. While these actions may benefit politicians, all three options are bad for average Americans." - Ron Paul

Miscellaneous Tax Quotes

"America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation." - Laurence J. Peter

"The point to remember is that what the government gives it must first take away." - John S. Coleman

"The politicians say "we" can't afford a tax cut. Maybe we can't afford the politicians. " - Steve Forbes

"The flat tax would be so simple, you could fill it out on a post card. A post card that would say, in effect, having a wonderful time; glad most of my money is here." - Steve Forbes

"Liberal Democrats are inexorably opposed to tax cuts, because tax cuts give people more power, and take away from the role of government." - Rush Limbaugh

"The real goal should be reduced government spending, rather than balanced budgets achieved by ever rising tax rates to cover ever rising spending." - Thomas Sowell

"We all know what the problems are: it's tax and spend. One party will tax and spend, the other party won't tax but will spend. It's both of them together." - Glenn Beck

"The best things in life are free, but sooner or later the government will find a way to tax them. " - Author Unknown

"Unquestionably, there is progress. The average American now pays out twice as much in taxes as he formerly got in wages." - H.L. Mencken

If you enjoyed these Tax Quotes, please visit our quotations page for more American history quotes.

Read about the history of taxes in American history.